Package opener



March 28, 1933. F. LEPAGE ET AL PACKAGE OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledDec. 24, 1931 Inventors pe @df Attorneys `Maur-ch 28, 1933. F. LEPAGE ETAL PACKAGE OPENER Filed Dec. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventore allAttorneys Patented Marr 28, 1933 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE PACKAGEOPENER Application led December 24, 1931. Serial No. 583,075.'

The present invention relates' to improvements in package openingdevices and has for vits important object to provide means for quicklyand conveniently opening a package to facilitate withdrawal of thecontents.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means forconveniently opening packages of the type widely employed for cigarettesand cigars without necessltatmg the removal of loves which may be wornby the purchaser t ereof., i

Another object of the invention is the provision of package openingmeans disposed so that by continuous pulling movement of a cord the sealof the package may be torn, the interior slidable container sectionextended and the cover portion adjusted to an open arrangement, enablingconvenient withdrawal of the contents of the package.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of packageopening means designed so that, simultaneously with the opening of thepackage the top portion of the wrapper may also be adjusted to aposition uncovering the upper portion of the contents. L

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description progresses. y

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of. this specification andin which like reference characters are employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the same:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of thepreferred form of the inventionin closed and sealed arrangement.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the seal tearingoperation,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the 4 following step of sliding theinterior package section to an extended,'dispensing position,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the next successive steps wherein theinner. section cover isswung to an open arrangement and the wrapper isdislodged to expose a portion of the package contents,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the package, as shown inFigure 1,

Figure 6 is a similar view .illustrating the sections in extended openarrangement,

Figure 7 is a front elevational view showj wherein is lllustrated thepreferred embodi` ment of the invention, the numeral 2O designates theexterior section of a packa e of a type commonly employed in thedistribution ofcigarettes and similar merchandise. The section 20 is ofrelatively lat elongated form having a rectangular cross section andopen at the ends.

Fitted within the outer section 20 and disposed to be slidable relativethereto is an interior container section, generally indicatedv at 21.This container section is of the usual folded structure embodyin a fulllength back wall 22, a transverse ottom piece 23 and a 'front wall 24extending from the bottom to a point terminating short of the top of thesection. A pair of relatively narrow complementary side. walls 25 areusually connected with the side edges of the back wall but oftendisconnected from the front wall.

The upper covering -portion of the container embodies a top piece 27having formed integral with the forward edge a flap 28 disposed tonormally extend over the upper front portion of the container. The rearedge of the top piece 27 is integrally connected with a back piece29embodying the upper portion of the container back and disposed tolswing'rearwardly about a predetermined folding line formed in the backof the section.

A main opening package so that the rear extremity is extendpiece 27 hiscord,

ed through an opening in the to and knotted interiorly thereof.

cord is connected with 'the designated at 31, is then trained to extendrearwardly over the top surface of the top piece and downwardly over theouter face of the back, from whence it is' continued under the bottompiece 23 and, when the inner 'section is in retracted or closedposition, up-

wardly against the front wall 24. A portion of the cord 31 is, however,threaded through an aperture 32 in the exterior section 20 upwardlyagainst'the outer side of the front wall thereof and threaded so as toextendinwardly of the exterior section through an elevated aperture 33.-The forward portion of the string is arranged in a diagonally extending.position from the aperture 33 between the interior and exterior sectionsand extends out of the package adjacent one corner to provide a fingerengaging extension 34.

The merchandise in the package, in the present instance cigarettesindicated at 36, is

, frequently enveloped in a wrapper 37, usuexcise stamp, as deslgnatcdat 41.

ally moist-proof paper or the like. In order to automatlcally open thewrapper upon opening operation of the package, an auxiliary string 39 isconnected to the exterior package section 20 adjacent one upper cortionof one or more cigarettes, it is merely necessary to grasp the main cordextension 34 and to draw the same upwardly to `a normal straight lineposition, causing the cord to travel in a transverse vertical plane soas to tear through the seal or excise stamp 41. Upon continued vupwardpulling movement of the cord the inner section will be successivelyprojected through one end of the outer section to a predetermineddispensing position, that is, until arrested by the loop of the cordextending through the outer section. During the extended movement `ofthe inner package section, it is preferable to swing the upper end ofthe cord away from the top of the container section so as to permit theupper covering portion including the pieces 27, 28 and 29 to be swungrearwardly and to uncover the top of the container, as lshown toadvantage in Figures 4 and 6.

Simultaneous with the extended adjustment of the inner containersection, a portion of the wrapper is unfolded from the upper portion ofthe section through the medium of the connection of the cord 39.

Consequently, when the main cord has been fully extended the innercontainer section of the package will be projected upwardly, thecovering portion thereof removed tov uncover the upper portion of thecontents anda portion of the wrapper unfolded so that a cigarette may beconveniently extracted. The

ing cord without the necessity-of severing the.

scaling member.

In the modification of the invention, shown at Figure 1l, the package,which is of relatively large size for accommodation of cigars,

embodies exterior and interior sections 43 and 44 similar inconstruction to those of the preferred form. The opening is effectedthrough the medium of a cord 45 associated with the sections in a mannercorresponding to that of the cigarette package but, in this case, theauxiliary cord is eliminated inasmuch as the cigars may be disposed inindividual wrappers.

As will be noted, the present construction affords a package structurehaving means associated therewith which will eatly facilitate theopening thereof and w ich will enable a ypurchaser to convenientlyextract a unit article even though wearing gloves, which would renderthe opening of the present type of package extremely difficult andawkward.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention herein shown anddescribed are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and thatvarious changes as to the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we clailn: Y

1. In a package, the combination with an exterior package section anda'n interior section slidable within the exterior section, of an openingcord having one end attached lto the interior 'section and slidablysecured to the outside section, said cord bein arranged on each sectionso that by pre etermined pulling the fastening seal of the package willbe severed, the interior container section slidably extended to alimited dispensing position and the topportion of the inner section swunfrom a coverin to an open position.

2. ,n a package, t e combination with Y an exterior package section andan interior section slidably fitted within the exterior section, of anopening cord having one end fastened to the top portion of the innersection and extending about the section, a portion of the cord beinglooped through the exterior section and including a free end adapted toextend from the package whereby pulling of the cord will cause extensionof the inner sec- 5 tion to a dispensing position and simultaneousopening movement of the top.

3. In a package, the combination with an exterior package section and aninterior section slidably itted within the exterior section, of anopening cord having one end fastened to the top portion of the innersection and extending about the section, a portion of the cord beinglooped through the exterior section and including a free end ada ted toextend from the package whereby pu ing of the cord will cause extensionof the inner section to a dispensing position and simultaneous openingmovement of the top, an auxiliary cord havin one end fastened to theexterior section and t e opposed end to a portion of the package wrapperwhereby the wrapper will be partially unfolded when the interior sectionof the package is extended.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

FRAN OIS LEPAGE. ANTO NE MARTINEAU.

